Stay home Q&A

Last updated
June 5, 2020 at 8:41 PM

All individuals living in the State of California are currently ordered to stay home or at their place of residence, except for permitted work, local shopping or other permitted errands, or as otherwise authorized (including in the Questions & Answers below).

On May 4, 2020, an Executive Order (PDF) informed local health jurisdictions and industry sectors that they may gradually reopen under new modifications and guidance provided by the state per the May 7, 2020 Public Health Order (PDF).

Questions and answers

What is the relationship between the order and these questions and answers?

The Governor has ordered Californians to obey the directives of the State Public Health Officer. Those directives take many forms; they include specific materials linked on this page, as well as these questions and answers. These questions and answers are directives from the State Public Health Officer, and have the same force and effect as other State Public Health Officer directives.

When does the stay home order go into effect and how long will we stay home? What areas of the state are covered?

The order went into effect on Thursday, March 19, 2020. The order is in place until further notice. It covers the whole state of California.

As of May 8, the stay home order was modified. In addition to essential activity, retail is allowed, along with the infrastructure to support it. As of May 12, offices, limited services, and outdoor museums are also permitted to open.

Six key health and scientific indicators will be considered before modifying the state’s stay home order to allow additional activity under the Resilience Roadmap.

Essential services that protect public health, public safety, and provide essential needs will remain open, such as:

Counties that are approved to progress further into the Resilience Roadmap can decide to open the following industries but are strongly encouraged to wait until June 12, 2020:

Family entertainment centers

Restaurants, wineries and bars

Zoos and museums

Gyms and fitness centers

Hotels (for tourism and individual travel)

Cardrooms and racetracks

Campgrounds and outdoor recreation

The risk of COVID-19 infection is still real for all Californians and continues to be fatal. That is why every business permitted to open should take every step humanly possible to reduce the risk of infection by following these state guidelines.

Yes. The State Public Health Officer may issue new orders as the public health situation changes.

This is a statewide order. Counties may move further into the Resilience Roadmap if they meet certain criteria.

Yes. As described in more detail elsewhere in applicable state public health directives (including on this page), there are a wide range of circumstances in which you may leave your home or other place of residence, even if you are not an Essential Critical Infrastructure Worker. For example, you may leave your home to work at any business or other entity that is allowed to open, to patronize local businesses, or to care for friends or family members who require assistance (as set forth below). And errands like these are not the only reasons you may leave your home: you may also leave your home with or without a specific destination in mind (for example, to walk your dog, to engage in physical recreation, or simply to get some fresh air) as long as you maintain physical distancing and do not gather with any number of people who are not members of your household.

State public health directives prohibit professional, social and community mass gatherings. Gatherings are defined as—meetings or other events that bring together persons from multiple households at the same time for a shared or group experience in a single room, space, or place such as an auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference room, meeting hall, or other indoor or outdoor space. They pose an especially high danger of transmission and spread of COVID-19.

On May 25, 2020, in an effort to balance First Amendment interests with public health, the State Public Health Officer created an exception to the prohibition against mass gatherings for faith-based services and cultural ceremonies as well as protests. Those types of gatherings are permitted so long as they do not exceed 100 attendees or 25% of the capacity of the space in which the gathering is held, whichever is lower. All other mass gatherings are prohibited until further notice.

It depends. If your county has been approved to move further in the Resilience Roadmap, then hair salons and barber shops may reopen in your area. See the list of counties with a variance.

It is best to stay connected with your loved ones through phone and video calls, as visiting family and friends outside your household still presents a risk of spreading coronavirus. Keeping distance from others is especially important for people that are at higher risk of getting very sick, including older people, and people of any age who have underlying medical conditions.

If you do visit family or friends that don’t live in your home in person, take steps to keep everyone safe, like:

Keep at least 6 feet between yourself and others, even when you wear a face covering

Visit outdoors instead of indoors when possible

Wear a face covering or cloth mask

Wash your hands often

Clean and disinfect commonly- touched surfaces

Protected activities

There are many ways for you to express your political views without holding a physical, in-person gathering. For example, you may continue to call or write elected officials, write letters to the editor of news publications, display lawn or window signs, or use online and other electronic media (including Zoom rooms, Twitter feeds, Facebook pages, and other digital forums) to express your views.

Additionally, as noted above, you may leave your home for any reason as long as you do not gather with people who are not members of your household. When you are otherwise out in public, public health directives do not prevent you from engaging in political expression—such as by wearing or carrying a sign.

If collective action in physical space is important to you, consider whether you and other participants can safely protest from within your cars. The State Public Health Officer does not consider in-car protests to be gatherings, if participants stay in their cars and otherwise remain apart from individuals who are not part of their households. Many activists have organized car-based protests (honking horns, flying flags, displaying signs, and so on) to express their political views while complying with State public health directives.

Whenever you are considering a protest (including an in-car protest), make sure you comply with all other applicable laws, including any local public-health measures that may be more restrictive than statewide directives and any other applicable local laws.

If you do wish to engage in in-person protest outside of your car with a group of any size, you must follow the guidelines for political protest gatherings below.

Yes, although in-person protests present special public health concerns.

Even with adherence to physical distancing, bringing members of different households together to engage in in-person protest carries a higher risk of widespread transmission of COVID-19. Such gatherings may result in increased rates of infection, hospitalization, and death, especially among more vulnerable populations. In particular, activities like chanting, shouting, singing, and group recitation negate the risk-reduction achieved through six feet of physical distancing. For this reason, people engaging in these activities should wear face coverings at all times.

Therefore, it is strongly recommended that those exercising their right to engage in political expression (including, for example, their right to petition the government) should utilize alternative channels, such as the many online and broadcasting platforms available in the digital age, in place of in-person gatherings.

However, state public health directives do not prohibit in-person protests as long as (1) attendance is limited to 25% of the relevant area’s maximum occupancy, as defined by the relevant local permitting authority or other relevant authority, or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower, and (2) physical distancing of six feet between persons or groups of persons from different households is maintained at all times. Failure to maintain adequate physical distancing may result in an order to disperse or other enforcement action. Masks and cloth face coverings are strongly recommended.

Participants must maintain a physical distance of six feet from any uniformed peace officers and other public safety personnel present, unless otherwise directed, and follow all other requirements and directives imposed by local health officers and law enforcement, or other applicable authorities.

This limitation on attendance will be reviewed at least once every 21 days, beginning May 25, 2020. This review will assess the impacts of these imposed limits on public health and provide further direction as part of a phased-in restoration of gatherings that implicate the First Amendment.

Elections are an essential activity, and the Governor has issued executive orders to ensure elections are safe and accessible. Vote-by-mail ballots will be sent to all registered voters for the November 3, 2020 General Election. Additionally, many in-person voting opportunities will be available: counties are required to provide three days of early voting starting the Saturday before the election, and open ballot drop-box locations between October 6 and November 3, 2020. The Secretary of State and the California Department of Public Health are working on additional guidance to ensure that all Californians are able to participate in elections safely. Except where suspended by Executive Order, existing laws addressing the use of vote-by-mail ballots in California elections remain in effect.

Of course, whenever you engage in any permissible activity—including the collection and drop-off of ballots, or other election-related activities (such as the collection of signatures to qualify candidates or measures for the ballot)—adhere to physical distancing and other applicable public health directives.

Yes. As of May 25, places of worship such as churches, mosques, temples, and synagogues can open throughout the state, with modifications for safety (PDF).

Yes. Practicing your faith is a constitutionally-protected activity and may manifest in many different forms.

Although in-person religious gatherings—like other in-person gatherings—have been restricted to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, on May 25, 2020, the State Public Health Officer began to ease restrictions on in-person religious gatherings. In particular, the State Public Health Officer now authorizes County Departments of Public Health to allow collective activities at places of worship, subject to conditions to support a safe, clean environment for employees, interns and trainees, volunteers, scholars, and all other types of workers as well as congregants, worshippers, and visitors.

Information on conditions imposed by the state can be found at guidance for places of worship (PDF). Additional conditions may be imposed by local public health officials. This guidance does not obligate places of worship to resume in-person activity. It is strongly recommended that places of worship continue to facilitate remote services and other alternatives to in-person religious practice for those who are vulnerable to COVID19.

Even with adherence to physical distancing, convening in a congregational setting of multiple households to practice a personal faith carries a higher risk of widespread transmission of COVID-19, and may result in increased rates of infection, hospitalization, and death, especially among more vulnerable populations. In particular, activities like singing and group recitation dramatically increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission. For this reason, congregants engaging in singing, particularly in the choir, and group recitation should wear face coverings at all times.

Places of worship must therefore limit attendance to 25% of building capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower. This limitation will be in effect for the first 21 days of a county public health department’s approval of religious services and cultural ceremonies activities at places of worship within their jurisdictions.

At this time, no. Children should remain in the care of those in their household unit and not interact with children of other parties at all times while visiting facilities. Places of worship must discontinue activities and services for children (for example, shared play areas) where physical distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained.

Every 21 days, the California Department of Public Health, in consultation with county Departments of Public Health, will review and assess the impacts of these imposed limits on public health and provide further direction as part of a phased-in restoration of activities in places of worship. This is because COVID-19 has an incubation period of 14 days; the 21-day interval accounts for this incubation period and provides for an additional seven days for thorough review, analysis, and preparation of modifications.

Outdoor recreation

It’s okay to go outside to go for a walk, to exercise, and participate in healthy activities as long as you maintain a safe physical distance of six feet and gather only with members of your household. You can also participate in activities at outdoor recreational facilities that are allowed to open. Parks may be closed to help slow the spread of the virus. Check with local officials about park closures in your area. Californians should not travel significant distances for recreation and should stay close to home.

Below is a list of some outdoor recreational activities.

Badminton (singles)

Throwing a baseball/softball

BMX biking

Canoeing (singles)

Crabbing

Cycling

Exploring rock pools

Gardening (not in groups)

Golfing (doubles, only if cart has protective partition)

Hiking (trails/ paths allowing distancing)

Horse riding (singles)

Jogging and running

Kite boarding and kitesurfing

Meditation

Outdoor photography

Picnics (with your household members only)

Quad biking

Rock climbing

Roller skating and rollerblading

Rowing (singles)

Scootering (not in groups)

Skateboarding (not in groups)

Soft martial arts – tai chi, chi kung (not in groups)

Surfing

Tennis and table tennis (singles)

Throwing a football, kicking a soccer ball (not in groups)

Trail running

Trampolining

Tree climbing

Volleyball (singles)

Walk the dog

Wash the car

Watch the sunrise or sunset

Yoga

You can walk your dog. You can go to the vet or pet hospital if your pet is sick. Remember to distance yourself at least six feet from other pets and owners.

State Parks, campgrounds, museums, and visitor centers have been closed to help slow the spread of the virus. A list of all closures can be found at www.parks.ca.gov/flattenthecurve. See a list of some outdoor spaces that are open on the Public recreation page. Some counties will also be able to open campgrounds and RV parks starting on June 12. Californians should not travel significant distances for pleasure or recreation and should stay close to home.

You can walk, run, hike and bike in your local neighborhoods as long as they continue to practice social distancing of 6 feet. This means avoiding crowded trails & parking lots.

You can travel for urgent matters or if such travel is essential to your permitted work. Even though businesses around the state are opening up, avoid travelling long distances for vacations or pleasure as much as possible. This is to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Do not travel if you are sick, or if someone in your household has had coronavirus in the last two weeks. Do not travel with someone who is sick.

Government services

71 select DMV offices are open to the public to help with appointments that require an in-person visit. You will be required to wear a cloth mask and must remain 6 feet apart in line. In-person appointments are limited to:

Paying registration for a vehicle impounded because of registration-related issues

Reinstating a suspended or revoked driver license

Applying for a reduced-fee or no-fee identification card

Processing commercial driver license transactions

Applying for a disabled person parking placards

Adding an ambulance certificate or firefighter endorsement to a driver license

Verifying a transit training document to drive a transit bus

Processing DMV Express customers for REAL ID transactions, if time and space allows

DMV services that do not require an in-person office visit can be accessed through the DMV Virtual Field Office, including driver’s license renewals, vehicle registrations, title changes, and more.

DMV has extended deadlines for:

All drivers licenses expiring between March 1 through July 31, 2020

Drivers 70 years of age and older will receive a 120-day paper extension

Drivers 69 years of age and younger can request a free temporary extension online, though one is not needed to drive

Expiring commercial licenses, endorsements, and certificates are valid through June 30, 2020

In-person renewals for vehicle registrations that expire between the dates of March 16, 2020, and May 31, 2020.

In-person renewals for those with safe driving records whose last DMV visit was 15 years ago

Driver license permits expiring between June through August 2020 are extended six months or to a date 24 months from the date of application, whichever is earlier.

Commercial learner’s permits expiring between March and June 2020 are now valid through June 30, 2020

The Bureau of Automotive Repair advises drivers to still pay DMV vehicle registration fees to avoid any late fees. However, you will not receive your new registration or year sticker until the smog information has been received by DMV. Once state and local orders or directives are no longer in effect, consumers can then obtain the required smog check certificate to complete the DMV vehicle registration process.